PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE CANBERRA

Jérôme Salle’s The Odyssey is an adaptation of two books and testimonies written by friends and relatives of Jacques Cousteau. They pay tribute to the life and work of this well-known French researcher and oceanographer who dedicated his life to protecting the environment and the world’s underwater ecosystems.

Cousteau was ahead of his time for exploring the sea as no one had done before, and quickly became a household name in the 1950s, instantly recognisable by his trademark red knitted beanie. The film follows Cousteau from his early days as a naval officer and his controversial relationship between man and nature over the course of 30 years. In addition to a talented cast – including Lambert Wilson as Costeau and Audrey Tautou as his wife – the film is also a visually stunning trip with beautiful underwater sequences that convey all of the adventure, imagination and emotion of one of Cousteau’s adventures.

The Odyssey was selected to be the opening film of last year’s Alliance Française French Film Festival. Tonight’s screening comes just as 2018’s festival is about to commence, with another stellar line-up of French cinema that will be previewed by Alliance Française’s director prior to the start of the film.